Horrifying moment wildfire ignites next to Ibiza airport runway as panicked Brit tourists fear plane will ‘blow up’

THIS is the horrifying moment a raging wildfire erupts just metres from an Ibiza airport runway as terrified Brits feared their plane would “blow up”. British tourists flying home to London were left fearing the worst after a ferocious blaze suddenly tore through a field beside their plane. A wildfire broke out just metres away from an Ibiza airport Credit: Marco Schiavo British tourists flying home to London were left fearing the worst Credit: Marco Schiavo Holidaymakers on a British Airways flight watched in horror as the fast-moving inferno surged dangerously close to the runway. One passenger told The Sun the entire plane descended into panic as the flames appeared to creep towards the aircraft’s jet fuel. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Marco Schiavo, 30, had been visiting the Spanish island on a business trip when he spotted the terrifying blaze. He said the plane had already been delayed for two hours because of technical difficulties before it finally began taxiing towards the runway. He said: “We eventually got on the runway and then we noticed there was a small fire on the field opposite us. So we were literally just sitting there on the runway watching it. “And then it just rapidly escalated. It was crazy. “It started as a really small thing and then after about 60 seconds it was nearly halfway through the field. “It was going through the field really quickly just because it was so hot I think.” Most read in The Sun The Sun’s exclusive footage captures a wall of orange flames devouring the parched field directly beside the runway as thick black and grey smoke billows across the landscape. Spanish authorities declared the blaze an agricultural fire before scrambling a fire engine and two aircraft to battle the inferno. At least two homes were evacuated and several people were treated for smoke inhalation as the frightening blaze spread. Mr Schiavo said terrified passengers began raising the alarm with cabin crew as they watched the flames race across the field. The blaze suddenly tore through a field beside their plane. Credit: Marco Schiavo A witness said the plane had already been delayed for two hours because of technical difficulties Credit: Marco Schiavo He said: “People were out of their seats, getting up and looking as they realised how fast it was escalating. “They were starting to panic because we were so close to where it was. “Obviously we’re an aeroplane so we’ve got jet fuel and it was that close that if any bit of wind came over and it sparked up something the whole plane would blow up. “There was a couple with a really young baby behind us and they were getting quite panicky. “Naturally, you just want to get away, people were saying that to the air hostess. “She hadn’t even realised, we were all looking out the window and she was just on her iPad, but when we told her she was like ‘Oh my God, I’ve got to talk to the captain’.” The British Airways flight eventually took off safely for London City Airport, but the terrifying blaze triggered severe delays that continued throughout the rest of the day. The frightening airport drama comes as Spain battles a devastating wildfire crisis after a succession of blistering heatwaves left vegetation tinder-box dry. More than 116,000 people have been forced to flee their homes this week as raging wildfires rip through parts of the country. Temperatures are tipped to soar to 40C in Madrid this week, piling fresh misery on exhausted fire crews and holidaymakers heading to Spain. Seven Brits were among 13 people killed this month after savage wildfires tore through Almeria, including a 93-year-old British woman. Four British victims were found after their bodies were discovered inside a burnt-out car. Spain’s government declared a state of emergency as multiple monstrous fires closed in on the capital, threatening to merge and repeatedly forcing residents from their homes. Civil protection chief Virginia Barcones said this week the country was battling a “monster” in the huge blaze around Avila, a major town 55 miles north-west of Madrid. She told state broadcaster TVE: “We are dealing with a perimeter of 280 kilometres (173 miles) encompassing 77,000 hectares (190,000 acres).” The colossal blaze has scorched an area roughly equivalent in size to New York City or Singapore. Another raging fire has engulfed La Vall d’Uixo, north of Valencia, where a 70-year-old man was found dead inside his car by firefighters. The vicious inferno has been branded “out of control” by local fire crews as huge swathes of land continue to burn. Around 45,000 hectares have already been scorched across central provinces around Madrid. The raging inferno was described as being “at its peak” over the weekend and “beyond the capacity” of firefighters to control. Madrid emergency management chief Carlos Novillo told the BBC: “It is not possible to attack the fire in that area, so defensive measures are being taken.” Madrid president Isabel Díaz Ayuso said the inferno was “the worst fire in the history of the region”. Díaz Ayuso has called the crisis “catastrophic” as residents in the capital were warned to stay indoors and avoid going out unless absolutely necessary. Dramatic footage has also shown police kicking down doors to rescue residents moments before flames consumed their homes. And the searing conditions are showing little sign of easing, with Ibiza facing temperatures of up to 36C across parts of the Mediterranean island in the coming days. Comment now